By Basant El-Faramawy
A passenger stabbed during a knife attack on a London North Eastern Railway train told a court he believed he was going to die, prosecutors said.
Attack on Peterborough to London service
David Presland, 71, was among 10 people attacked by Anthony Williams, 33, on a service that left Peterborough at 7.29pm on 1 November 2025. The train was stopped at Huntingdon station at 7.44pm by the driver.
Victim describes repeated stabbing
Prosecutor Christopher Paxton KC told jurors that Presland fell to the floor while trying to flee and was stabbed many times. Presland told police: "I thought I was going to die. I'm very lucky that I've survived." He suffered three stab wounds, including a 6.85cm wound to the upper chest that punctured his lung and broke a rib, a wound to the armpit, and a lower back wound 5.9cm from his spinal cord.
CCTV footage shown to jury
Jurors were played CCTV footage showing Williams approaching Presland with a knife and stabbing him as he lay on the floor. Paxton said the footage demonstrated an intention to kill, noting Presland was older, frail and defenceless.
Other victims and locations
Another passenger, Scott Bletcher, was stabbed in the head, chest and forearm. He called 999 and hid in a bike rack, later saying he felt he would not survive. Williams also denies the attempted murders of three people in Peterborough on 31 October and of a 17-year-old at Pontoon Dock DLR station in London in the early hours of 1 November.
Defendant denies attempted murder charges
Williams has admitted intending to cause harm but denies 14 counts of attempted murder. The trial continues.
